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The Maryland men's basketball team wasn't anywhere near perfect in a Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal win against Nebraska on Friday night. But the Terps' superb shooting meant they didn't need to be.
Here's an assessment of how Maryland did against the Huskers across the "four factors" of team efficiency: effective field goal percentage (eFG%), turnover percentage (TOV%), offensive rebounding percentage (ORB%) and free throw tries per field goal attempt (FTA/FGA). The proof here is in the pudding: Maryland's shot-making won the Terps the game.
Shooting
Maryland: 71.5 eFG%
Nebraska: 55.3 eFG%
National average: 49.9 eFG%
Nebraska shot well in this game. Maryland just shot better. The Terps found a turbo gear on offense and made 13 of 22 three-point attempts (including nine of 11 in the first half). Jake Layman and Melo Trimble hit 10 of 17 shots from deep, and the Terps raced to a 7-of-7 start that really buried Nebraska just as the game was starting.
Turnovers
Maryland: 19.7 TOV%
Nebraska: 11.3 TOV%
National average: 18.2 TOV%
In less rosier realms, Maryland again lost the turnover battle. The Terps gave up 14 turnovers and 19 ensuing points, compared to eight and 13 coming from the Huskers. Robert Carter Jr., Melo Trimble, Jared Nickens and Damonte Dodd each had multiple giveaways.
Rebounding
Maryland: 37.9 ORB%
Nebraska: 28.6 ORB%
National average: 29.8 ORB%
Maryland kept Nebraska off the offensive glass at roughly the national average rate. The Huskers got six offensive boards from two players (Michael Jacobson and Ed Morrow Jr.), but the Terps mostly controlled everyone else. Maryland had 11 offensive rebounds to the Huskers' 10, with six of the Terps' rebounds being credited to the "team" on balls out of bounds and other whistles against Nebraska.
Foul shots
Maryland: 0.379 FTA/FGA
Nebraska: 0.212 FTA/FGA
National average: 0.367 FTA/FGA
The Huskers weren't able to get to the foul line much at all. They were an impressive 13-of-14, while Maryland was 13-of-22 on an uncharacteristically bad foul-shooting night. Fortunately for Maryland, the Huskers had few opportunities to make hay on a night when their free throws were falling rapidly through the netting.